project 'perch'

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:26 am

***an excerpt from the latest rivoch news flash / for your consideration

dr ijon, can we call you ijon? rumours are getting loud about a
mysterious cockpit beeing built at rivoch deconstruction labs. how much truth is in that?

for once. welll, we had quite a break through in material research and interface design, enabling us to build a new modular, lightweight cockpit.
uhm; actually - its not that new. the general concept rather vanished into thin air over time.

modular thin air?

pardon me?

...

well. it will be mountable by any space craft featuring v12 bulkheads. you surely heard of those. in worst case we are able to rebuild your spacecraft accordingly. we invented a simple procedure to 'cut off your nose' and mount the v12 where ever you are wearing that nose, so to speak. then you are ready for project 'perch'.

pics or it didn't happen!

aha aha.looks a bit fishy, doesn't it?

thank you! our customers are used to fly through different phases of matter. so flow lines matter. fishes are good at that.

mhmm.

mhmm?

mhmm. i didn't get the modular part yet.

although the perch will be optimized for combat crafts, you will be able to use it on any hull. and thats rather new. beside the invention of new crafts we are paying attention to donwards compatibility as well. take one of these interstellar freight liners or deep space research crafts: you will be able to add or replace your common work space with a new, highly dedicated station. you can interlink them and cause some kind of.. privacy, if commanding large crews. for example. lone wolfs will feel at home right away. not to forget the view. its priceless.

interesting. it all looks a bit.. glossy? where do you mount the controls in that piece of glass?

reinforced transparent alloy, please! and thats just the outside beeing so shiny. else a good question:we are about to adopt a nu gundom mecha seat design. it will be the heart of the cockpit, ensuring that your sight stays as clear as it can be.

isn't that for ground forces?

intentionally yes. but this actually adds another important aspect to our design: combat is all... all about continuity and speed. the faster you adopt, the more efficient you are. now imagine you have a familiar environment, whether you are cruising the milky way or penetrate some planetary defence with, lets say, a walker.
the chair will fit. it also means we can replace the main frame of the cockpit to something more ordinary such as the comanche style or an imperial fighter. the heart maintains the same.

what about the optics and hud?

you are one curious bstrd. at current state the front ring matches your common holo optics percisely. it allows a minimalistic aim with disfunctional electronics and extreme precision witha little oomph while fighting moving targets.

do you have any inside views for us?

not yet.

when can we expect it on market?

the research fund is ..the research fund. i have to rip roids to be able to deconstruct. but we are on it.you'll excuse me now.

yes. thank you.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:42 pm

LOL....Very nice Ijon!.....

:P

ACBlack · Post by **ACBlack** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:42 pm

Nice nice work Ijon.... Your new cockpit, will it be interchangeable with the new walkers that we will carry down onto planet exploration trips

Viper · Post by **Viper** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:18 pm

You got me all turned on now.

Can't wait to see it in action, looking very good so far!

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:24 am

main gauges are placed on the screen meshes. sort of. that was one hell of a puzzle. rocket science!
ntl i'd like to mention how great the overall simplicity of this is.: its great.
the very wide angle of the pov adds up to the whole modelling quest. (:

i'll have to fix the heat texture (the thing you see before your hull pops while trying to catch birds from orbit) to match the open view. then start the actul cosmetics and detail modelling. so far i worked along the original textures so you will be able to re-use all your texture packs for the hud. a little doku + sourcefiles is planned so we can keep developing and improving open cokpits together. 1-2 weeks for next update?

and if you read here, it might interest you that daz 3d is currently giving away bryce (a landscape generator),
daz studio (character creator), and hexagon, which is a modelling tool (never tryed it) for free. they want you to register.
its a 800$ software package in exchange for your email. i remember bryce and co as rather simple, but mighty tools.
didn't try the ones offered yet.
daz3d.com

Raynor · Post by **Raynor** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:32 am

Can't wait to see this either. Please ijon never leave us.

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:23 am

----------------------------------------
decrypting:
//rdl systems
covod0.2_spartan_ [perch] | rdl staff & associates only
#image

compact onbord vehicle control device
ft. integrated nav com, combat aid & ship system controls

*narrow screen system for optimized information/environment acquisition and optical tracking
*flexible nav system, ft. key- as well as controller input
*main panel, ft. huge customizable quick access buttons for weapon-, shield-, engine- and power system access
*smart input via cursor, 3 axis ppt control device or voice / keyboard optional
*jettison-, ejection- & self destruction systems physically locked â€“ no data input required
-quick access under precarious conditions
-voice override

*highly flexible hydraulics allowing full twists, maximum comfort and steadiness
*customizable biometric locks
*accepts most available flight control devices, allowing full customization & interaction
*preconfigured stealth and system penetration modules optional due to transmitter hardware dependency
*open source
//
end
------------------

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 9:49 am

This is looking good Dr Ijon

.

What about reflective lights on ledges ? you see, I'm experimenting a High Tech device from Dr Miaz sensitive to photonic waves in the left , the center and right directions. It' s convenient at finding unknown stars and we are thinking this device will be helpful for some Yet to be Famous Explorers.

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 10:28 am

thank you munshine.

we recently discovered that the cockpit starts melting under heavy fire. this may sound normal,
sadly in this specific case it is caused by your own guns.

thus we will have to add some light barrel shieldings requiring a chunk of the left and right views and may have to modify the perch in the process. your input will be taken into account - the timing is just right.
are you talking about m.i.r.r.o.r technology? (making insular rays & radiance observable, right?)
one premium piece of high tech, indeed!

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:46 am

o/

i built something like 3 concave mirrors. small; not too small. can't show since the machine is buisy with sth different.
basically octagons with one center quad and 4 sides rotated 45Â° inwards. it allows amazing precision. tested with the visible suns around sapphire.

one is placed like a car's rear mirror, permanently visible in your std cockpit view. the other 2 are left and right on the hull so youd have to turn your head. would that work?
----------------------------------
another question: had an interesting discussion about joystick in the cockpit.
well, discussion.. basically 2 povs:
- it is needed for immersion that you see your control devices in game
- it is crap since you have the joystick in your hands, just irritating, etc.

can i gather some oppinions, please?

am even closer to cosmetics. discovering the gunfire in sideview (which forced me to add either weapons or close the cockpit (i added weapons, atm) hopefully was the last 'requirements' part for now.
since i want to make use of all possible shaders i slowly need to make up my mind about how i'm going to texture the whole thing and where to put details.

editski:
sooner or later i'll need more feedback anyway.

thats the current look forward. untextured with the original hud, wrong window reflections, but it will give you an idea.
the arrow marks the currently butt ugly mirror. it will get smaller i guess.
right now the sun is somewhere at the left / rear left.

gauges got pulled closer to the viewer and more narrow to each other. thats the only part i'm not really keen on changing. (unless you convince me) all the rest is open. beside all welcome critiques; don't forget my question, please.

---------------
if you have ideas or want to see changes, let me give you 3 limits:

atm i'm a good 10k faces below the cockpit that was used for max blue, star trek, etc. (with one pretty joystick allready built. -another thing to consider beside immersion)
one way to keep it slim is avoiding round shapes.

afaik the gauges can only be rotated on z-axis. (twisted left and right)

i find it important that the main gauges are visible in fwd view. although i can imagine that it must look totally awsome with a headtracker, i'd consider it inefficient to put them elsewhere.

[Edited on 3-6-2012 by ijon]

Malix · Post by **Malix** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:10 am

personally, not a fan of the vertical window frame. looks a bit obtrusive as it's right there in the middle of the view. It could be just me though, I usually fly without 3d cockpit.

Other than that, I like it very much.

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 12:45 pm

I agree with Malix for the vertical window frame in the center, it's cool in theory when you are looking at the blueprint but actually it's obstrusive. Maybe two window frames on the upper sides ? Not sure though. Some people would complain that's obstrusive as well.

Good idea for the mirrors. If you are fitting one above each MFD on a horizontal plane, How does it look ?

About the joystick, it was funny to watch it moving in Wing Commander 1 and 2, but actually it was distractive. That's must be why the developers get rid of it in the next sequels.
I think the most important thing for immersion is that you receive some Cokpit's feedback according to events. For example, i't must be shaking when you are hit or when you are using the afterburner. Maybe that would be too much to ask but if we could see some flares or a MFD vomiting nude wires or a starting fire when you are damaged, some Hull Breach Alert when you are losing hull integrity...

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:37 pm

i am not sure thats possible. i tryed to get an animated mesh into the game but it didn't work. i don't know yet whether its the .x file exporter or the game engine or both. or me.
i have no clue about coding but i guess there would also be some trigger needed for a change in geometry. like wires showing up.
there can be several textures changed on certain events (like entering atmosphere, warp, engine glow..) but thats it, i think. no debris or floating coffe mugs, atm.

in short: i can change what you see to a certain degree. maybe what you feel.

but i can't add new functions or behaviours or dependencies.

[Edited on 3-6-2012 by ijon]

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:51 pm

Very, cool. I have to agree too with the vertical frame beeing obstrusive. No Car, modern fighter plane has a vertical frame obstructing your view so that is something many would have to get used to if not changed!....

:P

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:18 am

the moths in lexx have!

seen it yesterday again; so great.

the mirror is now below the left mfd. tiny and nice. one is actually enough if getting used to how it reflects. i ntl kept the other 2 as control instances.
also removed the frame which i have to get used to now. i'll make that dependent on how the reflections work out (once drawn) wether i leave it out or put it back.

might have a compromiss regarding the joystick: (am the most impatient here i guess): i'll build the mounts on the seat so that it gives you the impression that you have pulled them towards you. (its one comfy chair +g+) that way no concrete flightstick - but something is there!

now back to the dark side (=
rawhaw, brunnen G

Raynor · Post by **Raynor** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:00 am

It's a nice occkpit, though i prefer mine with loads of obstrusive things. :p

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:12 pm

What if the window frame was rotated 180 degrees, so the vertical bar went behind the main center screen? You would not have that vertical center bar anymore but would retain the logical construction of a 3-spar frame.

Beautiful cockpit, by the way. I love the simplicity and amazing visibility.

-Accountant

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:57 pm

I like the vertical bar ... if for no other reason than it matches the ship.

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:09 pm

tastes, hu? (:
thx for the feedback so far! things take a bit longer that way but its fun testing.

i tryed the twisted cage (2 bars on top) in various arrangements which basically leads back to the original view. its more distracting for the current approach than that single one on top. due to the round shape it also gets in your way with the sideviews. suboptimal.
with only the 2 bottom bars perchi appears very fragile.

as munshine wrote, some 'feeling' depends quite a bit on how well you are getting shaked. i think so, too.
in comparison to the original cockpit the nose got pulled slightly further out and the displays slightly further in. this causes a nice tilting- flying curves, speeding up, etc.. and the top bar makes it more recognizable. possibly more convincing. you don't always have the reflections.
there is one more glass texture option though i didn't try yet.

hey, and raynor - there will be obstrusive thingies! just.. out of sight.

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:54 pm

with only the 2 bottom bars perchi appears very fragile.

That's a good point. If the bottom bars were sort of "robust" bottom to side bars: if they were sligthly curved up to each side, wouldn't perch appear a bit more sturdy ?

So far I like what I see, keep up the good work .

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:45 am

ladies. spacemen,
some update:

first of all i had to play a bit. thats something i totally lost sight of.

the top bar of doom is back in. (:
the dual side bar approach ntl. received his own folder for new projects. (future creation speed will depend a lot on the quality of Hawken and XRebirth releases, i have to admit).

there was no way around it. probably my very own headmovie. if you can live with the std dual top bars, you'll barely recognize it at all. eat it!

you may as well have read that i'm trying to approach the techncical side a bit. actually i slipped into it and am learning great new things.
since i did like.. 20 frames? now, the mesh improved a lot over time so its getting sleeker and sleeker while maintaining the lvl of detail. its hard to say 'stop!' and i'm still experimenting a lot.

fixing the chair right now while growing a dedicated texture pool. stearing assistance system and controller mount are basically done. looks cool!
no pics anymore though till the rough textures are done.
yes.. texturing. unwrapping is the 'it has to be done' part and i know nobody who likes that. me neither. so speed will go down a bit.

i'm on it.

Post by **Marvin** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:36 pm

I like the smoked glass effect. Do you plan to add the "shadow" of a pilot sitting in the seat?

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:28 am

rather not.

for my taste i'd have to give you at least arms and legs as well to 'justify' a pilote's reflection. but thats only one reason.

since more people started making cockpits let me give you some insight about things i'm struggling with. wanted to provide some kind of docu anyway.
i had that pilote in mind first. i set up a 2nd simplified cockpit, with decent 'indoor' lights, physically correct glass, adopted the ingame camera as close as possible within a dark environment and unleashed my renderers to get an idea how insight-reflections from a shape like the perch would look. then mapped that down on a square so dirctX likes it too. maths and me...

it turned into an act of balance. my round shapes vs the way reflections are implemented caused difficulties:
as long as looking forward everything seems doable; but this comes to an end if flying a curve while looking sidewards.
geometry and reflections no longer match. you have to imagine another invisible box shape around the cockpit. crux of the matter (: one could ignore it but since i've seen it i'm chewing on it.
it means that i have to move reflections away from the edges. which again means i have to simplify those reflections.
in worst case you get something similar to specular highlights. (imagine you look on a polished sphere under a light. it causes that significant light reflection.)

what needs to be achieved is a proper impression of glass around you.

plan b: (not at home and while typing getting serious appetite)
the game utilizes two extra geometry layers to deal with transparency and the way, stuff shines.
so far i mainly worked on the first layer - cockpit geometry - and only exploited the others for the gauges - as in the cockpits you are flying around with. there is no glass - just the reflection making you believe so.
maybeeeeee i achieve something decent if indeed modelling windows, matching the current perch, but put them in one of the geometry layers for the gauges.

i don't know yet though, if all the lighting (where is the sun) will still work then.

</wall of text>

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:30 pm

Letoras · Post by **Letoras** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:09 pm

When is this coming out????? give the cockpit to the people!!!!!